Undaunted by Their Slim Prospects, Outsiders Crowd Mayoral Race

By JENNIFER STEINHAUER

Published: August 28, 2001

There is exactly zero chance that the mayoral candidate Christopher X. Brodeur will be elected, but he does have a campaign pledge that suits New York in August better than discussions of debt service and Palm Pilots for the police. "Instead of having an inauguration, I will use that money to install industrial fans in subway stations," said Mr. Brodeur, a candidate in the Green Party primary.

Those who did not realize that the Greens were fielding a candidate for mayor have perhaps caught wind of some of the other mayoral hopefuls, like Kenny Kramer, of "Seinfeld" fame, or George Spitz, whose central campaigning technique is to grab reporters and hang onto their ears for dear life. Or Bernard Goetz, who, on his campaign Web site, refers to himself as "well known on crime issues."

Every election year, there are candidates outside the mainstream political parties who manage to wangle their way onto the ballot. But this year, in one of the most crowded primaries in 30 years, the race for City Hall boasts the most candidates, seven, on alternative party lines ever. There are now eight recognized parties permitted to run in New York State, and the general election yields other free agents, all with a medium, the Internet, to get their messages out in ways impossible just four years ago.

"This is one of the most congested ballots in my lifetime," said Daniel DeFrancesco, the executive director of the Board of Elections. But he stopped short of proclaiming that that makes for an exciting race. "Excitement is when you get hit by a bus."

Mr. Spitz, who has run unsuccessfully for office eight times in 33 years, is running as a Democrat, and there is another Green Party challenger, Julia Willebrand. Mr. Kramer was nominated by the Libertarian Party (he handily beat None of the Above at the party's convention in a Manhattan Holiday Inn) and Terry Gray will run on the Conservative Party line (www.cpnys.org/NYC_Elections /Mayor). Mr. Goetz, who is best known for shooting four black youths who he said were threatening him on a subway train in 1984, has decided to call himself a City Independent.

These candidates are generally barred from events like debates and mayoral forums with special interest groups, because sponsors want to give full attention to the mainstream competitors. So each of these candidates has turned to the Web to get his or her message out, creating sites that are often cheaper than leaflets and certainly television advertising, which none of them can afford.

"The Web really gives people the opportunity to see your platform," said Mr. Goetz, whose sophisticated site, www.bernieformayor.com, could be used as a model by some of the mainstream candidates, whose sites are often hard to navigate and filled with endorsement "news" that most voters could live without.

Few of the candidates hope to win, except for Mr. Goetz. (When asked why he was running, he replied, "Are you being hostile?") And they cite their desires to publicize their political agendas and to give voters who are disenchanted with the mainstream candidates an option.

"I'm not doing this to be an officeholder," said Mr. Gray. "I'm doing this because I believe there are thousands and thousands of people in New York City who are not being represented in this election. This is about content, not ambition."

Mr. Brodeur has a slightly different view. "Half the reason I am running is to embarrass the Democrats and Republicans," he said.

As it happens, many of these candidates share similar ideas and platforms with the six men seeking office on the Democratic and Republican lines. They all contend that the city needs a strong housing plan, that the Board of Education should be abolished and that crime reduction should stay a municipal priority.

They do offer differences along the edges. Mr. Gray, a lawyer, would like to see school vouchers. Ms. Willebrand, a former teacher, wants a tax increase to pay for more social services and is perhaps the only candidate over 25 years of age who says her central motivation is "to change the world." Apart from his electric fan thing, Mr. Brodeur would also like the subways to be free, and for Gracie Mansion to become a shelter for battered women.

Joseph DePlasco, a spokesman for the Democratic candidate Mark Green, dismissed the idea that fringe candidates bring new issues to light. "They have a right to run, but they have absolutely no impact on the race," he said. "If it is the case that they raise issues the others do not, they should say what those issues are." As for the fan idea, Mr. DePlasco said Mr. Brodeur had not gone far enough: "What's wrong with air-conditioning?"

Outside their Web sites, the candidates have taken various routes in campaigning. Mr. Brodeur (www.mayorbrodeur.com) displayed his stated technique of torturing Democrats at a rare forum open to alternative candidates last week, sponsored by the National Organization for Women. He continually mocked the candidates there, calling them "all wealthy white men who don't care about the little people."